The USC Trojans currently have seven interior and EDGE defensive linemen committed to the 2026 class. Adding any more at this point is more of a luxury than it is a necessity.
However, between the two positions (iDL and EDGE), it is likely that USC will attempt to add 10 total players.
One of those players is coveted local interior defensive lineman Khary Wilder. The USC Trojans had been the leader for Wilder’s commitment for quite some time, but On3’s recruiting prediction machine just flipped the scales toward a few Big Ten rivals.
Khary Wilder No Longer Trending Towards USC Trojans
The recruiting prediction machine is by no means a perfect science or a guarantee by any means, but it does give some insight based on a number of factors, including player visits.
At the beginning of the year, the Junipero Serra prospect was heavily favored to end up at USC. That was, however, before the Trojans landed a number of defensive line commitments, making the room very crowded.
Also Read: The USC Trojans Are A Finalist For Top 2026 Recruit At Premium Position
According to the RPM, the program with the best odds to land Wilder is the UCLA Bruins, followed by Washington, Notre Dame, Ohio State, and then USC in 5th.
Here is how the Trojans’ DL room currently stacks up:
- 4-Star Simote Katoanga – EDGE
- 4-Star Jaimeon Winfield – iDL
- 4-Star Tomuhini Topui – iDL
- 4-Star Braeden Jones – iDL
- 3-Star Jake Johnson – iDL
- 3-Star Andrew Williams – EDGE
- 3-Star Malik Brooks – iDL
Currently, Wilder has 4 official visits scheduled, and USC is not one of them.
- May 30 – Ohio State
- June 6 – UCLA
- June 13 – Notre Dame
- June 20 – Washington
The 6’4, 255-pound 4-star prospect is the 24th-ranked defensive lineman in the 2026 class, according to On3 Industry Rankings. It will be interesting to see if USC reopens their pursuit or if they have cooled with how deep they already are at the position.